In our society money is a very important commodity. We need money to pay for our food, clothing, and shelter. We need money to make our car payments and pay our various monthly bills. And yes, we need money to raise our children and a thousand other things. But have you ever thought what money can’t buy? Below is a list of five things that money can and can’t buy.
Money can buy a house, but not a home
I’m sure that all of us have dreamed at one time to own a mansion like so many celebrities live in. Imagine having a house with twenty-five rooms, a butler and maid, two swimming pools, and a tennis court; not to mention your own private gym and movie studio! Sadly, many of the people who own these houses have so much space and rooms they don’t know what to do with them. You see a home doesn’t depend on the size of your house but on the attitude you have and the gratitude of your heart. It also depends on who you are inhabiting your home with. A loving spouse, and great children are what make a house a home but for many celebrities broken marriages and spoil kids make a house a horror. Little is much for those who know that a home is where you cherish whatever God has blessed you with.
Money can buy a bed, but not sleep
Money can buy a very big and comfortable bed but if your money controls you, sleep often will be fleeting. So many people are consumed with making money that they spend all their time thinking how can they make more. For those individuals, tossing and turning in bed and worrying about a million things consume so much of their waking hours that little time is left for quality sleep. We are not equipped to carry the heavy burdens we often take on. Sound sleep, however, can be yours if you learn the great secret found in (1 Peter 5:7): “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Jesus wants us to let Him carry our burdens – will you let Him?
Money can buy a doctor, but not good health
You can have all the money you could ever imagine, but if your health fails, often the best medical care in the world will not be able to give you your health back. Sadly, we in America rely too much on doctors and medicines to be the cure for the destructive lifestyles so many of us live. Good health is a precious gift from God and often we squander it with riotous living, bad diets, and worry. With a new year just beginning why not resolve to let Jesus run your life, read the Good Book every day, and love one another. I guarantee you if you follow this prescription you will maximize the chance to live to a ripe old age with joy and peace instead of stomach problems and a host of other illnesses.
Money can buy sex, but not love
If you are rich you often will attract people who are willing to go to bed with you, not because they love you, but because they want to be around the money you possess. They often don’t really love you but the money you have. It’s amazing that when people win a big lottery they find out that everyone wants to be their friend, not because they love you, but because they want a piece of your money. True love is not interested in your bank account but in your heart. Sex without true love often leads to a host of problems from broken marriages to shattered dreams. Remember that you can buy sex but true love is priceless.
Money can buy pleasures, but not eternal life
Imagine all the creature pleasures that having great wealth can give you. There is only one problem – they are temporary. It’s well-known that when you crave pleasure you never seem to be satisfied and the pleasure seeker constantly strives to obtain more pleasure. And creature pleasures are only for this lifetime. The question that we all must face is what happens to us when we die. (Mark 8:36) tells us: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” You can have all the pleasures this world can offer, but money can’t but what Jesus offers freely – and that is the opportunity to receive eternal life.
It is simply amazing that the true blessings in this life have nothing to do with your bank account but with who you are banking on. If Jesus is your Lord and Savior you are truly a wealthy person in more ways than you can ever imagine.
Three times in the first paragraph of this article the phrase “we need money” was repeated. I would like to add one more reason why this is true. We need money to support kingdom ministry through our tithes and offerings.
We have defined our tithe as giving back 10% of our income but I like to do the math a little differently. Since everything we have belongs to the Lord, I see it as God, in His gracious daily provision, giving us 90% and keeping ten. It all belongs to Him so, actually, we don’t give Him anything that isn’t already His. On the contrary, He generously gives to us the 90%.
From houses to health, the one thing that comes before these necessities is our obedience to seek first the kingdom of God, knowing everything else will be added, and this seeking includes our tithe. Otherwise, we are robbing God.